Problems · by component

2008 Ford Explorer seats problems

27 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2008 Ford Explorer cite seats, 18% of all 148 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
27
18% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the seats

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TRANSMISSION FAILURE, FRONT DRIVER SEAT WILL NOT ADJUST BEFORE GOING OUT WOULD MOVE ON ITS OWN AND CAUSE INTERIOR LIGHTS TO COME ON. PREVIOUS OWNER TOOK VEHICLE IN AFTER PURCHASE FOR HARD SHIFTING OF TRANSMISSION AND NO REPAIRS WERE DONE. TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WAS NOT DISCLOSED TO ME AT TIME OF PURCHASE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 12, 2018Power train, SeatsODI 11110952
“WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE IGNITION SWITCH WILL ACTIVATE THE MEMORY SEAT FUNCTION CAUSING INTERIOR LIGHTS TO ACTIVATE AND THE DRIVER SEAT TO MOVE BACKWARD LEAVING THE DRIVER UNABLE TO REACH PEDALS OR STEERING WHEEL WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. OCCURS ON BOTH CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAYS. UNSEEN CAUSE TRIGGERS THE EVENT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 22, 2018Electrical system, SeatsODI 11080811
“KEY CYLINDER HAS LOOSENED INSIDE IGNITION HOUSING. THIS CONDITION WHILE DRIVING IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN FOR SHORTER INDIVIDUALS AS WHEN A BUMP OR CERTAIN MOTIONS CAUSE THE AUTOMATIC SEATS TO RETRACT TO "OFF POSITION" CREATING A 4-6" GAP BETWEEN FOOT AND PEDAL FOR MY WIFE IS SHE WERE WILLING TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS BECOME MORE FREQUENT AND DEALER SERVICING KNOWS OF THE PROBLEM AS WELL AS A LOCAL LOCKSMITH I HAD CONTACTED FOR POSSIBLE REPAIR OPTIONS. IT HAS BECOME MORE EVIDENT IN THE PAST 2 YEARS FROM THEIR KNOWLEDGE. NO CURRENT RECALL EXISTS AS NO MAJOR INJURY HAS RESULTED. THIS OCCURS IN STATIONARY POSITION OR IN MOTION OF THE VEHICLE ADDING TO CONCERNS. I WILL HAVE THIS REPAIRED AT LOCAL FORD IN THE NEXT WEEK. SEAT RETRACTS ON ITS OWN AND IF ANY BUMPS ARE HIT MAY ENGAGE OR DISENGAGE AT WILL. AND HAS BEEN OCCURRING OVER THE PAST 3 YEARS. I AM THE ONLY OWNER FOR THE VEHICLE AND LESS THAN 70K MILES CURRENTLY”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 21, 2017Electrical system, Seats, Unknown or otherODI 10967471
“WHILE I AM DRIVING THE DRIVERS SEAT AUTOMATICALLY SLIDES AS FAR BACK AS IT CAN, AND THE OVERHEAD LIGHTS COME ON. THIS IS AN ACTION THAT WOULD ONLY HAPPEN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF AND THE KEY IS PULLED FROM THE IGNITION. HOWEVER THIS IS HAPPEN WHILE I AM DRIVING PULLING ME AWAY FROM THE GAS, BRAKES AND STEERING WHEEL. THE ONLY IMMEDIATE FIX I CAN DO IS JIGGLE THE KEYS IN THE IGNITION TO GET THE SEAT TO COME BACK. I FEEL THIS IS INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS, AS TURNING INTERIOR LIGHTS ON WHILE DARK CAN BE DISTRACTING AND MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SEE OUTSIDE, NOT TO MENTION BEING PULLED AWAY FROM THE STEERING WHEEL AND BRAKES CAN CAUSE THE VEHICLE GO OUT OF CONTROL. I HAVE REACHED OUT TO FORD AND THEY SAID IT WOULD BE AN OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE AND NOT CONSIDERED ANYTHING ELSE SUCH AS A RECALL. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 28, 2016SeatsODI 10937886
“IF I HIT A BUMP WHILE DRIVING OR THE KEYS JIGGLE IN THE IGNITION THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT WILL MOVE FORWARD OR BACKWARD AND THE DOME LIGHTS COME ON. I HAD THIS PROBLEM THREE MONTHS AFTER I PURCHASED MY 2008 FORD EXPLORER EDDIE BAUER EDITION IN 2010 AND WAS ABLE TO GET IT REPAIRED AT NO COST. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM IS BACK ONLY THIS TIME I'M TOLD THAT IT WOULD BE AN OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE WHICH I PERSONALLY DON'T THINK SO BECAUSE IT'S NOT A WEAR AND TEAR ISSUE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 6, 2016SeatsODI 10924554
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SEAT MOVED OUT OF POSITION WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THE ELECTRONIC FUNCTION WORKED TO MOVE THE SEAT FORWARD AND BACKWARD, BUT THE SEAT FAILED TO REMAIN STATIONARY WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000. ....UPDATED 08/29/16 *BF UPDATED 08/30/16.*JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 1, 2016SeatsODI 10882152

Showing 6 of 27 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 7, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Other 2008 Explorer problem areas